Before evaluating the personality and skills of the person you are considering, you must first validate her identify and check the background of the candidate for previous criminal or sexual offenses.
Therefore, a crucial step in selecting your nanny is to validate her criminal history and to verify the absence of sexual offenses on her record. You do that by requesting to see her most recent certificate of good conduct. The time of hire is the only opportunity you have to ensure that your family is in the hands of someone you can trust.
The first thing to do is to make sure that the candidate you are going to evaluate is the person she claims to be. Do not hesitate to ask her for two identification documents. Photo IDs issued by the government will ensure not only that the person is who she says she is but also she is legally in the country.
After the identity of the potential nanny is verified, the second step is to request a Canadian Criminal Record Check. It is a nationwide search of the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database that queries police records for convictions for which a pardon has not been granted, for absolute & conditional discharges and for any stays of proceedings, as they appear on CPIC.
In addition to this validation, it is strongly recommended to obtain confirmation of the absence of sexual offenses. This is of course particularly important when selecting a candidate who will be responsible for one or more persons considered as vulnerable (children, the elderly and individuals with disabilities). The search, based on the applicant’s fingerprints will reveal whether the person has been convicted and / or has obtained a pardon for a sexual offense.
It is very important to ask your potential child minder for the most current certificate of good conduct. It needs to be recent since the results shown are valid at the time of the research. In fact, it is recommended to request a new certificate as a pre requisite for hire. This can be done at the expense of the nanny or be covered by the family.
All the checks can only be requested by the candidate herself. They can be obtained at any police station or using the services of specialized companies. The costs range from 40$ to 100$.
By following these simple steps to check the background of your sitter, you’ll be able to entrust your home and your children with confidence. Your peace of mind is priceless, especially when it comes to the most important things in your life so take the time to accomplish all these steps.
